Ipoh

Ipoh is the state capital of Perak, on the west coast of peninsular Malaysia.

Culture and History

The name Ipoh originated from a local tree known as the pokok ipoh. This particular plant is known for its tree sap, which is poisonous and was traditionally used by the Orang Asli (aboriginal people) in their blowdarts. Ipoh is also known as san seng which means "city surrounded by mountains" in Cantonese. Ipoh is located in the rich tin bearing valley of the Kinta River. It grew up as a mining town. During the British Colonial Era, Ipoh was the second city of Malaysia. Its railway station is an excellent example of the architecture of this period. It is situated in the "Old Town" of Ipoh.

Ipoh's growth has stagnated ever since the development of the country and the closure of the tin mines. This stagnation has prompted many residents to move to other parts of Malaysia, particularly Kuala Lumpur. Ipoh has since been called a dead city and a good retirement city. In spite of this, Ipoh still remains one of Malaysia's largest cities, with a population of 637,200 (2004) and urban area population of 798,800 (2004), placing it in the top five cities in Malaysia by population. Ipoh's food is famous, and comparable to that from Penang. Many people, some from as far as Singapore, actually travel to this city just to taste its variety of great food. There are numerous dishes worthy of gluttons but visitors to Ipoh should make it a point to taste the local fare. Chances are the cuisine here is more varied and likely to be tastier than many other places in Malaysia.

Travel to Ipoh, visa requirements

Buses to Ipoh

The bus fare from Puduraya bus station in Kuala Lumpur to Ipoh is RM 13.40. The bus fare from Penang bus station in Penang to Ipoh is RM 13.50. The Ipoh bus station is located at Medan Gopeng near Gunung Rapat. Note that the taxi drivers outside the bus station will try and overcharge to take you anywhere.

There are also two express bus services run by two different companies called YoYo and Triton direct from KLIA to Ipoh and back, six times daily. In Ipoh the terminal for YoYo is on Jalan Bercham, while the Triton bus station is located at the new bus station in Medan Gopeng.

If you will be arriving very early in Ipoh (say 5am), it might be better to get the bus to drop you off at Hotel Excelsior or Jalan Abdul Jalil in the middle of town. It is then a short walk to the famous Foh San Restaurant that sells Dim Sum, which opens early in the morning.

Flights to Ipoh, airtickets

Ipoh's Sultan Azlan Shah Airport (IPH) is rather quiet. Merpati flies three times weekly from Medan (Indonesia), but all domestic services have ceased.

By car

Ipoh is located on the North-South Highway, to the north of Kuala Lumpur. If you drive by car, you can exit from the Jelapang Exit if you come from Penang or exit from the Ipoh South (Selatan) Exit or Simpang Pulai Exit if you come from Kuala Lumpur. Ipoh is about 2 hours drive from Kuala Lumpur.

By train

There is a daily train from KL (8.45pm) to Ipoh (1.05am), then via Butterworth (6.05am) to Hat Yai (10.15am Thai time). To Hat Yai, berths are 43RM and seats 30RM. For the return from Hat Yai, the train leaves at 2.50pm via Butterworth (9.30pm)to Ipoh (2.15am) and on to KL (6.35am); berths cost 31RM, seats 18RM.

Inter-city services to Ipoh will be upgraded considerably when double-tracking to KL is complete. Latest estimates for completion are in 2007, but take even this with a grain of salt, as it was originally supposed to be finished in 2000!

Get around

By car

Ipoh's traffic is not as congested as other cities such as Kuala Lumpur. However, during heavy traffic such as the morning drive to work (around 8-9am), (noon-1.30pm) during weekdays due to lunch-hour & school children being in/out of school and late evening return from work (around 5-6pm), minor jams may/do occur. Parking spaces are adequate, but not too abundant. Note that the Ipoh town center has many one-way streets, just follow the crowd. Moreover, a map is necessary because for a city of its size, Ipoh does not have proper road signs directing motorists to an intended destination.

On foot

Ipoh is a rather pedestrian-unfriendly city. Walking within Ipoh city centre and Ipoh Old Town is feasible but walking long distance generally is not.

By bicycle

There are no hard and fast rules for cyclists, but you are expected to observe road rules at all times. Cyclists are forbidden from riding on the sidewalk but often do. Helmets are optional but not common.

Car rental

Also available under your own risk. You must have an authorised driving licence. Please contact this number for more information: 05-5453260 or 013-5304869.

Ipoh attractions and sightseeing

In Ipoh proper

• Muzium Darul Ridzuan is an interesting historical museum of Perak, located in a pretty former tin-mining tycoon's mansion near the Anglo-Indian railway station of Ipoh.

• Railway Station has recently been renovated. In front of the railway station is an Ipoh tree.

• St. Michael's Institution is an architectural wonder. Established in 1912, it is one of the premier schools in Ipoh.

• Mari Amman Temple, an old temple located on the banks of river near bridge on Sungai Pari Road, is kept very clean. It has sannidhis of pilliyar, muruga and navagrahas.

• Walk around the (relatively) old city and look at the classy late 19th- and early 20th-century buildings Ipoh is justly proud of.

Near Ipoh

• Kellie's Castle, the deserted mansion of an eccentric English planter, is in Batu Gajah, half an hour's drive from Ipoh city centre. Its main appeal lies in the belief that it is haunted and that secret passages leading to hidden chambers exist.

• Sam Poh Tong (Cavern of Triple Gems) is a Chinese temple located at Gunung Rapat, built within a limestone cave. It has a popular attraction: a tortoise pond which houses hundreds of tortoises and terrapins (a symbol of longevity) of various sizes.

• Kek Lok Tong (Cavern of Ultimate Bliss), a cave temple that lies on the other side of the same limestone hill as Sam Poh Tong, is accessible only through Gunung Rapat housing area. Hence, Kek Lok Tong has a cleaner, quieter and more cooling environment and has the best scenic cave view.

• Perak Tong (Perak Cave) is located at Gunung Tasek and houses over 40 Buddha statues. There is a steep, tall staircase in the interior of the cave rising up to the top of its hill, where one is greeted by a beautiful and panoramic view of Ipoh and its surroundings. The statue of Buddha in Perak Tong is the tallest and largest of its kind in Malaysia. Both Perak Tong and Sam Poh Tong temples have decent vegetarian food. Perak Tong was built in 1926 by a Buddhist priest from China.

City tours

• Pasar Malam (Night markets). One of the favourite activities by local people is to visit wet market. There are many stalls that sell food and groceries. There are many wet market locations around the city, depending on the day of the week...
• Monday: Taman Menglembu, Taman Ipoh Jaya (near Gunung Rapat)
• Tuesday: Ipoh Garden East
• Wednesday: Ipoh Garden(near Perak stadium)
• Thursday: Taman SPPK
• Friday: Taman Pertama; Pekan Razaki (near Taman Ipoh Jaya)
• Saturday: Taman Rasi
• Sunday: Taman Cempaka (6pm-10pm only)

• Natural hotspring - at Tambun, a 10 minutes drive from Ipoh, currently undergoing renovation (2007)

• Hill climbing - Menglembu Hill in Menglembu provides awe-inspiring views of the limestone outcrops that surround Ipoh

• White-water rafting and caving - River Kampar offers great excitement with its relatively safe rapids

Shopping, Ipoh souvenirs

Restaurants often do not display prices. Tourists are advised to ask the price before having meals. Tipping is uncommon in Ipoh and even taxis will usually return your change to the last cent.

Cost

Ipoh is inexpensive by Malaysian standards, and even more so for visitors from most industrialized countries: RM50 is a perfectly serviceable daily backpacker budget. Food in particular is a steal, with excellent local hawker fare available for less than RM4 per generous serving. Accommodation is also inexpensive by international standards, with a bed in most hotels below RM100. Top hotels offer rooms at around RM100 to RM200.

Specialty shopping

• Gunung Rapat Fragrant Biscuit (Heong Peang)“香饼”. The recommended brand is Yee Hup“余合”. Originally produced in a village house in Gunung Rapat (near Ipoh), it has been recommended to buy it at the Gunung Rapat Jalan Sri Ampang, Taman Ipoh Jaya store (or a branch in Hugh Low Street (Jalan Iskandar), near Lou Wong restaurant) as you can get it freshly hot baked from there. You can also buy Chinese biscuits and Tambun Pomelo at many shops near Low Wong restaurant. These are the must-buy souvenirs to bring home to.

• Kacang Puteh. This a very delicious Indian snacks with a variety of choices. There is one factory located in Buntong, Ipoh where it manufactures and distributes to all sellers around the country.

• Pomelo“柚”. Perak's most famous fruit, a large juicy citrus fruit. The best pomelos are reputed to be from Tambun, about 10 minutes drive east of Ipoh. There are stalls selling pomelos in front of the Sam Po Tong temple.

• Pottery. Often missed by most visitors is the fact that Ipoh produced potteries for export. A good place to shop is along Jalan Kuala Kangsar which offers ample range for selection.

• Ipoh White Coffee. If you have to get the sachet-packed type, try the brand 'Old Town'.

Good restaurants and cheap meals

Ipoh is famous for its Chinese food.

Chinese Food

• Ipoh beansprouts chicken"芽菜雞" , which consists of chicken meat, assorted chicken innards and beansprouts boiled in hard water and served with soy sauce and sesame oil. Ipoh's beansprouts are very fat, short and tastier than those produced outside Ipoh, thus Ipoh's beansprouts also receive orders from other states. Famous beansprout chicken noodles include Onn Kee （安記芽菜雞沙河粉）and Lou Wong (老黃芽菜雞沙河粉）Restaurants－ both located at the junctions of Yau Tet Shin Street 姚德勝街 and Osbourne Street.

• Ipoh Sar Hor Fun"怡保沙河粉", which are rice flat noodles prepared in hard water and served in clear chicken and prawn soup with chicken shreds, prawns and spring onions. Famous sar hor fun include Thean Chun and Kong Heng Restaurants - located along Leech Street 列治街in the old town. Other popular food choices include chicken and pork intestines satay, curry pork skin chee cheong fun, and their custard! Custards are usually sold out around 3pm weekdays and noon on Saturdays and Sundays.

• Ipoh Chicken Rice. The famous Ipoh Chicken Rice can be found in Bak Gong restaurant located near the Foh San restaurant in city centre,. ( Opens afternoon )

• Hor Hee noodles河熹粉.This is also a very delicious kuey teow noodles with fish balls and fish pastes. The most famous stalls selling Hor Hee including those located in Heng Heung restaurant besides restaurant Sin Yean Lee in Ipoh Old Town (Opens only at night), and also the "Gao Peng" restaurant at Charmberlain Road in Ipoh New Town (again, night only).

• Dim sum“点心”(fish balls, fried stuff, dumplings, buns, served in small quantities). Foh San(富山)restaurant, located nearby the tauge ayam outlets, is a famous dim sum restaurant. It has a branch in SS2 Petaling Jaya, the satellite town of Kuala Lumpur. Yuk Fook Moon Lau(玉福满楼） (Opens in the morning and also at night), located behind Excelsior Hotel, sells excellent dim sum too. Ming Kok（明阁）which is just opposite is the best dim sum restaurant in Ipoh. Also try out or take away the Cha Siew Bao", Chinese pork pao sold in Yuk Fook Moon Lau. Be warned, must go there around early in the morning about 6am-7am because it is quite difficult getting a table at a later time.

• Beef noodles.牛腩粉 There is one famous beef noodles restaurant called Buntong beef noodles restaurant, sells very delicious beef noodles, beef balls and yong tau foo. There are three restaurants in Ipoh famous of its Beef Noddles, run by three brothers originally from the Buntong Village of Ipoh. The restaurants are located at 1) Kong Heng Restaurant in Old Town Ipoh (morning til noon); 2) Taman Rishah Restaurant, between First Garden and Menglembu (noon til evening); 3) Jalan Theatre, near the Rainbow food court, in the Ipoh city. (evening til night).

• Chinese restaurants (a favorite place for holding Chinese wedding dinners; but also for casual dining) which serve excellent seafood and meat. The famous ones among Ipoh natives are Overseas（海外天）restaurant opposite Excelsior hotel, Mun Zhong（民众）restaurant in Jalan Pasir Puteh, Pusing Public Seafood Restaurant（布先民众海鮮酒家）restaurant (Remember to try their signature dishes known as Pan Fried Prawn in Special Soy Sauce; Sweet and Sour Crab; Shark Fin Soup; Abalone in Chef's Special Sauce) in Jalan Verasamy, Ipoh,“Tung Hoi（东海）restaurant in Menglembu & branch in Ipoh Garden South, Lee How Fook（利口福）restaurant in Jalan Kampar. Two restaurant that serves very good Nyonya cuisine are Yum Yum restaurant at Persiaran Greenhill near Excelsior hotel and also A-Ssam House restaurant near Jalan Yang Kalsom.

• Fish ball noodles鱼丸粉/yong tau foo攘豆腐. Some of the recommended outlets are Nam Fatt （南发）in Jalan Kampar, Tai Kar Lok（大家乐）the best one in city centre near Hotel Excelsior, and also one stall located in Pasar Pasir Pinji (Open nights only).

• Chow hor fun炒河粉 or Kueh teow basah, rice noodles fried in such a way that it is a little wet with dark gravy (as opposed to the Penang char kueh teow which has no gravy but fried with egg, prawns or cockles and the Cantonese-style wat tan hor滑蛋河 which is completely immersed in clear, egg gravy). You can get chow hor fun in all Chinese restaurants in Ipoh. The best chow hor fun can be found at a street stall in the Mengelembu town area and one restaurant near Xin Hup Zi (Origin from Buntong) (Only opens at night).

• Hakka noodles客家麵. There a few restaurant around the city sells delicious Hakka noodles with yong tau foo. The most popular Hakka noodles is offered by Yin Yau Kui at Hugh Low Street (Jalan Iskandar). This shop specialises in noodles rather than its yong tau foo. Another lesser known favourite, known to local old-timers is located at Majestic Food Centre at Osbourne Street (Jalan Tahwil Azar). This stall offers much better yong tau foo compared to Yin Yau Kui but Yin Yau Kui's noodles are superior. There is one near the Mun Zhong restaurant in Jalan Pasir Puteh (Only opens in the morning), one in a food court behind the Olympia college or Jalan Yang Kalsom (Only opens in the morning).

• Salted chicken or Yim Kok Kai.盐锔鸡 The chicken is baked in salt in such a way the skin and meat is so delicious when you eat it and you will finished it all. Whole chicken are wrapped in "oil paper" and then baked in large woks filled with heated salt. The restaurant that sells salted chicken is Aun Kheng Lim Restaurant, located at Theatre Street, opposite Martell house or near Bak Gong restaurant in the city centre. It is so popular that you must call to order before you drop in. Tel: 05-254 2998.

• Roasted duck燒鴨.The duck is roasted in such a way the skin of the duck is so crispy, smells great when you eat it and the meat is delicious to be eaten. Recommended famous restaurant that sell roasted duck: Yeong Wai（楊威）restaurant in Greentown Business area and Tuck Kee（得记）restaurant in Pasir Pinji, Ipoh. There's also a restaurant called Kedai Hong Kong in the Tasek area. The chef famously studied his duck preparation in Hong Kong. A couple of ex-staff have opened their own duck restaurants in adjacent restaurants.

• Curry noodle咖喱麵. There is one restaurant in old town Ipoh, called Sin Seng Fatt,（新成发） which is located near Kong Heng restaurant in Market Street, sells very delicious curry noddles. The curry paste of the curry noodle is so good that it's packed and sent to franchises in Hong Kong. They have a franchise at SS2, Petaling Jaya, Selangor. (Open mornings and afternoons only.). Another famous shop known to the locals is Sin Chuan Fatt (新泉發) located at Jalan Pasir Puteh, known for its very spicy and thick curry paste, fried chicken and pork to go with the noodles. Lesser knowns are; the restaurant facing the roundabout besides MGS secondary school. (Open mornings and afternoons only.) and a coffee shop called Sin Chuan Fong（新泉芳）located at Hugh Low Street.

• Prawn mee蝦麵 or Hokkien mee. This is also another noodle that is same as Penang's Hokkien Mee. The soup of this noodle taste spicy and sweet. Recommended prawn mee stall is the roadside stall on the road between Yik Foong complex and Super Kinta shopping centre (Only opens at night and until early morning).

• Sze Chuan food.川菜 There is a very good Sze Chuan Restaurant located in Fair Park (There is only one, along the way from Ipoh General Hospital to Ipoh Indra Mulia Indoor Stadium.) They serve some very authentic Sze Chuan-style dishes that can only be described as heavenly. Don't forget to order the deep fried "Man Tou" “馒头”or Chinese "Pau", Cheong Chang Arp (sauce-layered duck), Sze Chuan fried long beans, Taufu cooked Szechuan-style and Tong Por pork meat. These are signature dishes at this establishment.

• Chinese Vegetarian Food素食店. There is one restaurant, Restaurant Sin Meng Kee 新明记, in the city centre that offers good Chinese vegetarian economical rice. It has many dishes in its menu. Main shop located at Jalan Dato Onn Jaafar and branch located at Jalan Lau Pak Khuan, Ipoh Garden and Kinta City food court. (Opens morning until evening)

• Claypot Chicken Rice瓦褒鸡饭. This is a hot and delicious chicken rice cooked in a claypot. There is a stall at Shatin food court at Pasir Puteh that is very famous for selling this rice. (Opens only at night).

• Chinese-style Satay沙爹. This is skewered meat seasoned and flavored with spices and served with cucumbers, onions and a chunky peanut sauce. Please note that the Chinese-style of satay (compared to other satay) contains pork and thus unsuitable for Muslim tourists. The preferred stall is in Thean Chun Restaurant, Ipoh old town. (Open mornings and afternoons)

Malay/Indian Food

• Laksa Perak叻沙. This is a noodle which is same as the the Penang's famous Asam Laksa but with a different taste. Laksa in Ipoh tastes a bit sour and spicy but not as sweet as Penang's Laksa. The ingredients of the noodle soup contain prawn paste. There is one Laksa stall in Farlim, Ipoh (opposite the Setapak driving institute,on the way to Mengelembu from Ipoh) sells very good Laksa (Only opens on Sunday afternoon). The other one would be the Laksa stall in Kong Heng Restaurant.

• Cuttle fish鱿鱼雍菜. This food is a plate of cuttle fish with kangkung or water convolvulus vegetable and sweet and spicy sauce on top of it.

• Samosas. There are great samosas and other great foodstuffs to be found in Little India.

• Food court. If you just want to eat a variety of good Ipoh food in just one place, that would be Anika Selera or Gourmet Square and Wolley centre in Canning Garden. Must try bubur cha cha (The first drinks stall counting from the Woolley centre) and seafood in Aneka Selera (Toong Koo Theng)冬菇亭. Try the Marmite Crab or the sweet & sour crab and the fried balitong. Must also try ABC dessert (Ice Mix 杂雪) in Wolley centre. It is made up of a bowl of sinfully delightful mixture of red bean, cendol (green strands of pandan flavoured rice flour), jelly, peanuts and palm seed kernel topped with shaved ice, rose syrup, evaporated milk and corn. For the more health conscience, there is a fruit variant you can order. The other two great food courts are Rainbow City food court opposite Sam Tet primary school in Ipoh and all the street food stalls in Mengelembu old town. (All opens at night). You can find a lot of choices of good Ipoh food in these food courts.

Worth mention, it is quite difficult getting a table at many coffee shops during weekdays and especially on weekends and holidays, advice is to go there early or not at busy time.

Ipoh nightlife, bars, clubs and pubs.

• Ipoh White Coffee, which are coffee beans specially roasted (with palm-oil margarine; visit this Wikipedia article for more info). Its colour is similar to that of cappuccino when served with milk. The best can be found in the few coffee shops located opposite the Kinta Heights flats in Ipoh's old town such as:
  • Nam Heong Restaurant (Distributor of "3 in 1 Ipoh Old Town White Coffee")
  • Xin Yun Loong restaurant (Open mornings and afternoons only)
  • Xin Yuan Hoong and Xin Yuan Foong (All open mornings and afternoons only).

• Tau Fu Fah, or soybean curd. It is claimed that only Ipoh or Kinta Valley water that can only make this drink so tasteful. This drink is good for the body after travelling in a very hot day. The soya bean is fresh, sweet and smooth. Once you are drinking this soya bean curd, you can feel the smoothness and freshness of the soya bean smoothing down through your throat. It is served steaming hot with pandan syrup. The stall, named Kei Foong, or Funny Mountain in English, is located at Osbourne Street (Jalan Tahwil Azar), near Restaurant Foh San. It has a drive-in delivery service. Also try the delicious variety of:
  • soymilk only
  • soymilk mixed with cincau
  • soybean curd with soymilk.

• Tong Sui, sweet dessert drink that will definitely refresh your body in a hot day. Located at Restaurant Cha Yong, behind Pizza Hut in Ipoh Garden South. The other place locals call "Tong Sui Kai" or Desert Drinks Street is located in the food stall across from Sam Tet Primary School (noon til late night). The most popular tong sui at this place would be black sesame, peanut tong sui. Another few stalls are located in the Ipoh Stadium's food court and in a food court near the former Ocean (now The Store) supermarket.

Hotels, youth hostels, lodging

Complete guide of Perak Hotels

Budget

There are a few good budget and clean hotels around the food court near Sam Tet primary school, Jalan Yang Kalsom and Public restaurant in Ipoh city centre.

• Hotel Eastern, Jalan Raja Musa Aziz.

• Majestic Station Hotel Ipoh, at the Ipoh Railway Station.

• Robin Hotel - 100-110 Jalan Mustapha Al-Bakri (Jalan Clare) tel:05-2421888 fax:05-2425881 pvghotel@tm.net.my [1] - rates start at 53 ringgit, which gets you an air-con room with double bed, small remote-less TV (local domestic channels only) and private bathroom (hot shower, cold sink, western toilet). No minibar, no lift, clean albeit rather well-worn in places. 20 ringgit deposit required in addition to paying in advance for the room. Has an in-house spa/brothel (30-150 ringgit), but this uses a separate entrance. If you're a light sleeper, ask for a room that doesn't face the karaoke club.

• Seri Malaysia Hotel Ipoh, Jalan Sturrock, off Jalan Tambun.

• YMCA Ipoh, Jalan Raja Musa Aziz, beside D.R. Park.

Mid-range

Splurge

Within the city centre

• Ritz Garden, 86 & 88, Jalan Yang Kalsom (easily recognized as the building with the pyramid-shape roof). Tel: +605-242 7777, fax: +605-242 1166. [2]. A well-managed three-star hotel located in the heart of Ipoh city. The hotel provides free wireless internet access in its public areas as well as guestrooms. Deluxe rooms with breakfast for 2 pax go for RM110 nett but they do have walk-in (standard room) rates of RM95 nett.

• Syuen Hotel Ipoh, 88, Jln Sultan Abdul Jalil (Located at opposite Parkson shopping centre). +605 253 8889, fax: +605 253 3335. [3]. A four star hotel, thus probably not for the budget traveller, the Syuen offers a full range of services for both business and holiday travellers. A room for 1 starts at around RM 190 and includes breakfast and 1 round of golf.

Outside the city centre

• Heritage Hotel Ipoh, Jalan Raja DiHilir - 4-star.

• Hillcity Hotel & Condo, Jalan Gopeng, opposite Sam Poh Tong cave.

• Impiana Casuarina Ipoh, Jalan Gopeng - 4-star.

Now the Funny Mountain Soya Bean milk and curd business hour had change, only one break in one month, the last or middle Tuesday. The business hour is 10.00am to 7.30pm. Address is Jalan Dato Tahwil Azar.

Stay safe

Ipoh is in general a very safe city, certainly by international standards. There are however some irritants, like beggars especially at bus terminals. It is better not to attract any unwanted attention by giving money to the beggars as most of them are professional beggars operated by syndicates.

The city centre is relatively safe, but again, pickpockets do work in the stations. If you are carrying a bag make sure that it's closed tightly (all zipped up or whatever). If you have a wallet in your pocket keep a hand near it while exiting the buses.

Get out

• Pangkor is a fishing village island with many beautiful beaches. There are two famous resorts when mentioning Pangkor: Pangkor Laut (which is on a small 1 resort adjacent island) and Pan Pacific resort. Nearby places such as Lumut, Sitiawan and Pangkor Island offer very good seafood.

• Cameron Highlands is Peninsular Malaysia's most famous highland destination. Many vegetable, strawberry and tea farms are to be seen there. The cool weather and beautiful scenery makes it a popular hideaway from the warm weather in the rest of the state. There is a toll-free road to Cameron Highland from Simpang Pulai located at south of Ipoh. It will take about an hour to reach there from Ipoh by car.

• Gua Tempurung or Tempurung Cave, Perak's best kept secret, is a must visit if you are an adventurous person. It is located at Gopeng, just 24km south of Ipoh. There are many unique and fascinating limestone formations in the cave. There are a few challenging cave exploration packages that are very exciting where you need to climb, crawl and slide. There is a shuttle bus and tour service at Medan Gopeng bus station in Ipoh. It takes about 30 minutes to get there.

• Lata Kinjang waterfalls is a majestic waterfalls that is visible from the North-South highway, after passing the Tapah exit.

• Taiping, was the first major township developed by the British in Malaysia. It is a very peaceful and quiet town. Its attractions are beautiful Maxwell Hill (or now known as Bukit Larut) and Taiping Lake Gardens, and Taiping Zoo.

• Tg. Tualang is located south of Ipoh and offers very good seafood. Also if you want to see a tin dredger-turned-museum, head to this town. It is still yet to be opened, but you can take a geek at this machine from a far.

• Ulu Geroh Be an ecotourist and experience the rainforest by going to Ulu Geroh, an Orang Asli kampung about one hour's drive into the hills east of Gopeng (25 km south of Ipoh). The last half of the ride is along a rough road (4x4 preferred) through rubber, durian and oil palm plantations to the village on the edge of the rainforest. Guides from the Orang Asli community take visitors to see the parasitic Rafflesia flower (the largest flower in the world) and the Raja Brooke's Birdwing butterfly as well as other forest bugs, plants, etc. There's also a small but beautiful waterfall. The guides charge about RM50 per person. It's best to arrange for guides a day or two in advance. This can be done by phoning Saniey, who speaks English, at 017-5360872. You will need your IC or passport number for the visitor log book.There is a new resort with many activities named MY GOPENG RESORT. Please visit the website for more information about Ulu Geroh and Goepng town. http://www.mygopengresort.com

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